Chapter 298: Political Marriage
After speaking, Li Chen turned to Liu Sichun, who had been silent all along, without waiting for Su Jinping's reaction, and said: "For this matter, your Liu family, you, should remember the first merit."
Liu Sichun immediately replied, “Everything is thanks to the teachings of Your Highness. The Liu family and I are just running errands, doing things that everyone can do.”
Li Chen smiled and said, "There's no need to be humble now. You did a good job this time. What reward do you want?"
To make those below you completely devoted to doing things your way, the most important thing is a clear system of rewards and punishments. They need to understand that good work is rewarded and bad work is punished. This is how you establish the leader's authority.
Furthermore, Liu Sichun was not an ordinary woman. Her ambition was greater than any other woman Li Chen had ever met.
Knowing that Liu Sichun was ambitious, Li Chen had already prepared some sweeteners for her.
But Liu Sichun, after a moment's thought, replied: "Your Highness, the benefits due to the Liu family, Your Highness has already given them. With the success of this sweet potato crop, the Liu family will naturally be able to share in enormous profits. Added to the salt transportation matter, the Liu family has a shallow foundation and little background. The current grace is an immense blessing. Everything should have moderation; too much would not be something the Liu family could bear."
This remark made Su Jinpa glance at Liu Sichun a few more times.
Their eyes met, and both detected a flicker of the peculiar in each other's gaze, before passing by.
"Have you thought it through? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." Li Chen said with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.
"The woman has made up her mind," Liu Sichun stated firmly.
"Okay."
Nodding, Li Chen said, "Then let's return to the palace."
After finishing his words, Li Chen pulled Su Jinpa onto the palanquin.

Liu Sichun stood at the roadside, bowing his head respectfully as he saw off Li Chen's motorcade.
Watching a line of vehicles sway and disappear at the end of the road, Liu Sichun frowned slightly and sighed softly.
But at this moment, inside the palanquin, Su Jinpa was having a tantrum.
"Why are you taking me into your palanquin?"
When she arrived, to avoid suspicion, Su Jinpa took a separate sedan chair by herself.
When Li Chen left just now, he was domineering and arrogant, not asking for her opinion at all. He simply dragged her onto the palanquin of the crown prince. Inside the palanquin, which was luxuriously decorated with a spacious interior that seemed enormous, Su Jin felt extremely uncomfortable.
“The Imperial Astronomical Bureau and the Ministry of Rites have already chosen a date. After the Lunar New Year, on the fifth day of the first lunar month, they will come to your house to propose marriage. That's when we will become betrothed. What does it matter if we ride in a palanquin now? Who dares to gossip about me?” Li Chen said lazily.
Su Jinpa said angrily, "I told you a long time ago, I never agreed to marry you!"
"This palace has said it before, you'll marry whether you agree or not."
Li Chen said lightly, "How, still can't understand this simple truth now?"
Su Jin'pa said bitterly: "Do you like me, or are you trying to win over the Su family?"
"All of them."
Li Chen said bluntly, "But if you weren't the daughter of the Su family, then the position of Crown Princess wouldn't have been yours."
Su Jinpa sneered: "So, in the end, it's all about political interests."
"Born into royalty, and as the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, marriage itself is politics. There's no difference between state affairs and family matters, is there?" Li Chen said.
Su Jinpa turned her head and said, "It makes no difference to you, but I don't want to be a caged bird for the rest of my life, trapped within these palace walls. What's the point?"

(Editor in charge：half his age: a novel jennette mccurdy)